July 31st, 2015 by Lorena

The smell of fresh erasers, wood shavings, and crisp mornings — for most, it can only signify one thing. It’s almost time to head back to school!

For some, it’s a bittersweet time, sending their little ones off to kindergarten for the first time. For others, there’s a sense of nostalgia as their teens head off to their final high school years. The first day of school is a special time for both parents and their children — why not make a special gift beforehand? Show school pride by making hats in team colors; send them off with healthy snacks in a personalized lunch bag.

Gather the school supplies and set your student up for success with these fantastic back to school patterns!

July 28th, 2015 by Danielle

Our good friend and knitter-extraordinaire Kristy Glass, leader of the Glass Posse, spotted one of our newest and most popular summer sweaters — the Calypso Cardigan — and loved it for it’s amazing versatility. Made with Modern Baby®, Kristy shows you how to style it in a variety of ways and makes alternate color suggestions too … let’s hear from Kristy!

July 28th, 2015 by Selma Moss-Ward

Selma Moss-Ward writes and knits in Rhode Island. She is a regular contributor to the Notebook.

As we get older our bodies change. The clothes I wore in my 20s and 30s wouldn’t suit me now and they wouldn’t fit. But, why should I scold myself because the clothing I wore years ago no longer flatters?

As knitters and crocheters, we’re privileged. Rather than settling for something cloned and off the rack, we can select customizable designs, choose yarns in colors we love, and craft sweaters that are gorgeous, practical, and absolutely right for us.

That’s where Lion Brand comes in. There’s an abundance of great designs in the huge Lion Brand pattern database, and so many are flattering to women of a certain age. Each pattern keys to a perfect match of Lion Brand yarn, so guesswork about gauge and fit is minimal.

I’ll highlight some of the Lion Brand designs I’ve discovered. They’re comfortable, crafted in lovely yarns, and range from easy to moderately challenging. All are absorbing to work and beautiful to wear. When you wear them, you’ll feel attractive and relaxed, as well as accomplished, delighted, and in control of your fashion destiny!

Let’s consider two cardigans, knitted and crocheted. The knitted Seaside Kimono Cardi requires only 5 skeins of Fishermen’s Wool®. Its basic shape is squared and loose, but dense cables at the wrist, collar, and lower edge create a gentle blouson that complements many different figures. The cardigan’s natural tones and rich textures convey an elegant, slightly ethnic sensibility that’s great with jeans, a simple dress, or a skirt.

The crocheted Retro Swing Cardi, in Wool-Ease® Thick & Quick®, packs a lot of style into a quick project. Done with a large hook, it works up swiftly into a gentle A-line jacket that floats over the torso. This design is great for petite figures, as it doesn’t overwhelm.

There are many reasons to favor cardigans, as they’re easy to slip on and off, and useful if you like to layer. Much as I enjoy cardis, though, the Level Two Knit Pullover really captured me. I love the dropped shoulder of the loose, yet sculpted design. I love the textural interest of the front and sleeves, and the adorable band collar. For such a sophisticated pattern, it’s hard to believe the skill rating is “easy.” I can’t wait to knit it in several different colors!

July 27th, 2015 by Danielle

Inspired by stonework found in Dunfallandy, Perthshire, Scotland, designer Terry de Roulet created this gorgeous baby afghan which features cables that turn horizontally and meet – a seemingly impossibly feat!

Using Pound of Love®, she wanted to make a machine-washable heirloom baby blanket that baby fingers and toes couldn’t get trapped in and it looks like she succeeded:

We all fell in love with this afghan as soon as we saw it and we’re so pleased to tell you that this is a FREE pattern, available through Knitty.com.

July 27th, 2015 by Lorena

Over the last 12 days of Christmas in July, we’ve shared over 75 of our favorite projects for holiday gift-giving! From prayer shawls, to children’s afghans, patterns for men, and Christmas home decor, we made certain to offer plenty of patterns to cover everyone on your list.

Best of all, these patterns are all FREE and available to save or look up any time on our PatternFinder. With projects for all skill levels of knitting and crocheting, we hope you’ve found inspiration to get started on your holiday gifts early this year.

Here’s our full Christmas in July gift giving guide. Pin your favorites for easy access, and don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest too! Share a handmade item with a loved one!

When you finish your holiday crafting, wrap your handmade masterpieces with our Artisan Gift Wrap! 6 of our most beautiful patterns have been transformed into bold and stately wrapping paper. From brightly colored prints, to jewel tones, and a sophisticated neutral, there’s a design to suit a variety of aesthetics. Get yours HERE!

July 26th, 2015 by Danielle

Our newest bulky weight yarn is Scarfie, a soft and lofty wool blend yarn with enough yardage to knit or crochet a full length scarf – really, one ball is enough for one whole scarf which is very useful when you’re planning out gifts … which you’re doing, right?

While working with Scarfie, you’ll see a unique self-striping ombré effect emerge (ombré is everywhere!), with gradual shading from one color to the next. The ombré pattern is a sophisticated and tonal blend of solid and heathered hues.

You’ll adore working with Scarfie to knit and crochet stylish garments, accessories, afghans and of course, scarves!

Here are some of our favorite patterns from the new Scarfie collection, each a perfect gift for someone on your list. Scarfie has your back!

July 25th, 2015 by Sarah

Do you have some free time this summer? In our Christmas in July series, we’ll be rounding-up our favorite gifts to make and give, including ones you can get started on now. Trust us – you’ll be thanking yourself between holiday parties when you’ve got all your gifts blocked and wrapped.

Stocking stuffers are my favorite gifts to give! I love surprising my friends and family with little gifts that I can personalize in their favorite colors. These projects are a fun place to practice techniques that you might be trying for the first time like colorwork or embroidery. Yarns like Bonbons and Vanna’s Palettes lend themselves perfectly for stocking stuffers or make small gifts by stash-busting! Making gifts is a great excuse to make room in your stash for new yarn.

Even though these small gifts might not take long to complete, I like to get started early! I can throw a small project in my purse and work on it when I’m on the train or in the waiting room. It’s a great way to get my holiday knitting and crocheting done without any effort! No need to stress about quick gifts in those hectic days after Thanksgiving!

July 24th, 2015 by Lorena

Do you have some free time this summer? In our Christmas in July series, we’ll be rounding-up our favorite gifts to make and give, including ones you can get started on now. Trust us – you’ll be thanking yourself between holiday parties when you’ve got all your gifts blocked and wrapped.

For those who love the winter holidays, there always seems to be a few decoration items they treasure the most. Among mine are a vintage tree topper — which has continued to survive winter after winter since the early ’80s — and a glittery monogrammed stocking from the year I was born. Though I may not remember that Christmas as vividly as my parents do, it’s heartwarming to have a tangible way to reconnect with memories of Christmases past.

Stockings aren’t exactly gifts (they’re more like gift holders), but they’re a piece of the holidays that can be passed down from one generation to the next. A handmade stocking is a true treasure and can be personalized to reflect your family’s memories.

These stockings range from traditional to more modern — make a few to match your holiday decorations, or have fun mixing your family’s favorite colors into individual stockings!

July 23rd, 2015 by Shira

Do you have some free time this summer? In our Christmas in July series, we’ll be rounding-up our favorite gifts to make and give, including ones you can get started on now. Trust us – you’ll be thanking yourself between holiday parties when you’ve got all your gifts blocked and wrapped.

You might be sweating now with these sweltering numbers outside; however the holidays are right around the corner. This is prime time to start those gifts for EVERYONE you know, you got the air conditioning going so let’s cozy up and get crafty.
I know whenever I go to someone’s house I want to have something to give to the hostess. Maybe you will get the extra piece of cake if you bring them something handmade! My top pick? I love these little hats and scarves for the wine bottles– talk about super cute and, of course, you can get super creative with the colors depending on what holiday you want to represent.

I’m also a big fan of wine glass decorations. Too many times I have gone to dinner parties or parties in general and I have a wine glass and then I put it down and then can’t figure out which one is mine! These wine glass decorations are an easy solution that anyone would be happy to receive as a great hostess gift or gift in general.

Being a big tea fan myself, I’ve also picked my favorite tea-themed gifts! The Tea Cup Pincushion is a fun project. If you are going to a fellow crafter’s house or simply making gifts for your crafty friends then this is the PERFECT gift for you. Useful and Cute!!

Don’t know what to give? Don’t stress out — I have done the searching for you and found some great patterns that are easy enough but look substantial to score that extra piece of delish cake at the holiday dinner table!